Goetz joins after spending more than 26 years in the Neuromodulation unit at Medtronic. There, he led engineering and innovation initiatives for implantable device therapies for a wide range of diseases.
Houston-based Motif Neurotech develops a miniature brain pacemaker designed to stimulate the brain. The company aims for the device to restore healthy circuit activity and treat mental health disorders.
Inserted during a 20-minute procedure, the pea-sized device goes in the skull, above — and not touching — the brain. It can deliver at-home therapy with minimal side effects compared to drugs or less precise brain stimulation. Motif Neurotech has its lead product under development for treatment-resistant depression.
Goetz’s responsibilities include leading all R&D activities, including advancing the device for treatment-resistant depression. The company also plans for him to extend its platform technology toward application to a broad set of mental health disorders.
“Motif has developed an elegant new way to deliver neuromodulation therapy to the brain that avoids many of the barriers of more invasive approaches, and I’m excited to join the company at this time of growth to help translate this innovative technology to market,” said Goetz. “Building on positive proof-of-concept data, Motif technology promises to change the lives of 2.8 million people with TRD who suffer a major depressive episode but do not respond to antidepressants each year.”
More about new Motif Neurotech CTO Steven Goetz
Before joining Motif Neurotech, Goetz most recently served as VP of technology and platform innovation in Medtronic’s Neuromodulation unit. There, he drove new therapeutic opportunities in bioelectronic medicine and helped define new implantable device architectures.
Other roles at Medtronic included senior distinguished engineer in brain modulation. He also served as chief engineer for deep brain stimulation and neuromodulation. Goetz led cross-functional teams in systems engineering and human factors. He contributed to system designs for spinal cord stimulation, implantable drug pumps and peripheral nerve stimulation therapies.
“Steve is an innovative senior executive with the exact experience we need, at the intersection of neuromodulation innovation, engineering, therapeutic areas and commercialization,” said Jacob Robinson, Motif Neurotech founder & CEO. “I’m so excited to add him to our team – Steve is my dream candidate for this role. His expertise and leadership will be transformative as we accelerate Motif into its next phase of growth, developing our platform for TRD and beyond.”
